Chapter 4 - The Poisoned Treaty
By the next afternoon, the city of Providence was on a knife's edge. The Rossi family had denied all allegations, claiming Lucas Falcone was using the maid as an excuse to hostilely takeover their territory.
Inside the penthouse, Nadia was treated like royalty. Chefs prepared her meals, and the best doctors monitored her pregnancy. But she felt like a bird in a golden cage. The weight of her hair was uneven, a constant reminder of the humiliation she had suffered.
On the third evening, a knock came at her door. It was Maria, an older maid who had always been kind to Nadia during her time working in the mansion.
"Nadia, dear," Maria said, carrying a silver tray with a bowl of hot soup and a glass of milk. "The Don ordered me to bring you this. He said you must keep your strength up."
"Thank you, Maria," Nadia said, offering a weak smile. She took the tray and placed it on the table.
Maria looked nervous. Her hands were shaking slightly as she adjusted the napkin. "Eat it while it's hot, dear. It’s good for the baby."
As Maria turned to leave, Nadia noticed something. A small, white smudge of powder on the edge of Maria's black uniform apron. It looked like crushed pills.
Nadia’s heart hammered against her ribs. She looked at the steaming soup, then at the glass of milk.
“Do not bend,” she reminded herself. “If you fall, they will remember the fall and not the knife.”
Nadia did not eat. Instead, she poured a small amount of the soup into a small potted orchid on the windowsill. Within minutes, the vibrant petals of the flower began to curl and turn a sickly, bruised black.
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It was poisoned.
Nadia didn't scream. She didn't panic. She walked to the security intercom on the wall and pressed the button. "Lucas. Come to the penthouse. Now."
